The Mourning Museum
Not exactly many peoples first choice of a museum, but well it's actually a really important and beautiful museum, a beautiful and important collection of mourning photography and other mourning momento's.
My dear friend Mellisa happens to be the assistant to the husband and wife team that started this museum together in Chicago. She had told me about it and what she was doing a few years ago, but I kind of "didn't get it" I guess you could say. I always knew that her artwork had aspects of mourning within them, but I truly didn't "get it". Soon after sweet little Birdie died, she again mentioned to me the Mourning Museum, and this time I listened. She saw the many photos that we had taken, and she knew that we might be interested in what the Mourning Museum could maybe offer to us in the future.
So, here we are 11 months and 4 days since our beloved passed on to ride the waves of the universe, and we have been welcomed with open arms to share/submit our mourning photographs and writings. So, I am working on getting things together to submit to the Mourning Museum. Writings and photos, and probably some of the photos that I have been working on...that I hope, I really hope to present in a gallery someday. Maybe for Birdie's 2nd Birthday.
To help you understand a little more about the MoMP:
MoMP owns and protects over 1000 mourning photographs and negatives, circa 1840 to present
"The Museum of Mourning Photography & Memorial Practice is not intended for morbid fascination, but as an investigation into human ritual"
There is a lot more information on their website, and I encourage you to take a look.
So anyways, that is what I am up to in between working and trying to get my act together to keep my photo project going. To help me with that I bought a new (old camera). A Yashica Medium Format camera. My intention, and idea is to shoot portraits of Matt and I using infrared film (it will look more interesting than it sounds when I integrate these photos into the rest of the project). I also bought it because we are going on vacation to Virginia in March (finally a REAL vacation!), and I hope to explore some old graveyards and find some gravestones of well, stillborn babies. That might sounds really intense, but well I am interested in doing a sort of anthropological study of stillbirth I guess. I feel a connection to not only those that I know in contemporary life who have lost their babies, but also to those who lost their loves long, long ago.
7 comments:
Hey!
For my Death and Dying Anthro class I did children's death. I have lots of info somewhere around here if you want I will find it for you! I think I have pictures too.....
When we went to a cemetery this past summer to find my great-great grandfather's grave, we had to search all over the place because my mother couldn't remember where it was and the office was closed. Anyway, on one side where I was looking, I came across a gravestone that had a beautiful teddy carved into it and the name Alexander. It had only one date so I knew what it was. I think the year was 2006 so it was very recent. I stopped and sat down there for a bit, crying a little for what that mother must still be going through. Another time I might have just walked by thinking, "Gosh, poor kid and poor mother. I can't imagine your pain." But now I can. I sat there looking at the stone and knowing, really knowing what that mother went through. I was tempted to try to find her and let her know that I had visited her son and that I was thinking of her.
It is interesting how my perspective has changed. Though interesting is a stupid way to put it. No duh my perspective has changed!
As you know, I love your pictures. It is a great idea to show them in a gallery. Keep us posted. And thanks for the info on the share group.
Hang in there, Birdies Mama. I have never met you, nor did I have the chance to meet your beautiful daughter. But thanks to your courage, and your open honesty on this blog, I find myself thinking of both of you often. Your are such a beautiful and strong person and your strength gives so many others strength!
That is exciting, that you can submit your stuff there. I followed the link before when you put it up and was very impressed by what they have. Good luck with your projects!
Hi Honey,
I've been thinking non stop about you and Birdie lately. I just read Aimee's post above and it took my breath away. I just keep thinking, "Wow, these women are some of the strongest, inspirational ladies I have ever come across." I don't take a whole lot for granted anymore, Birdie gave me that...a world of thanks to her sweet spirit.
Love you,
Meg
Wow. I can't wait to see what you come up with during your vacation. That museum sounds so wonderful.
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